Towers Cinema
An Art Deco cinema built on the grounds of a grand estate, Towers Cinema stood for eight decades before demolition in 2015, despite local preservation efforts.
At a glance
Towers Cinema was constructed in 1935 in Hornchurch, East London, on land that was once part of the Grey Towers estate. The building exemplified the Art Deco architectural style popular during the interwar period. It operated as a cinema until 1973, when it transitioned to use as a bingo hall for the remainder of its existence.
History
The cinema was built in 1935 on a portion of the former Grey Towers estate. For nearly four decades, it served the local community as an entertainment venue. In 1973, as cinema attendance declined across Britain, the building was repurposed as a bingo hall—a common conversion of mid-twentieth-century cinemas. The venue continued in this role until closure in 2015.
A local campaign subsequently emerged to preserve the building and secure its listing status with Historic England, but these efforts proved unsuccessful. The structure was demolished to make way for a Lidl supermarket.
What you see
The building was noted for its Art Deco architectural style, characteristic of 1930s British cinema design. Art Deco elements typically included geometric forms, streamlined surfaces, and decorative details that reflected modernist aesthetics of the interwar era.
Cultural significance
Towers Cinema represented an important phase in twentieth-century British entertainment architecture and social life. Cinemas of this period were major community gathering spaces, and their Art Deco styling reflected contemporary aspirations toward modernity and leisure. The building’s later conversion to a bingo hall marked the broader economic and cultural shifts that reshaped British high streets.
Key facts
- Built: 1935
- Location: Hornchurch, London Borough of Havering, United Kingdom
- Coordinates: 51.5633485, 0.2145259
- Original use: Cinema
- Secondary use: Bingo hall (1973–2015)
- Architectural style: Art Deco
- Demolished: 2015
Practical information & getting there
Towers Cinema no longer stands. The site is now occupied by a Lidl supermarket in Hornchurch, within the London Borough of Havering.
Sources & resources
- Towers Cinema – Wikipedia
- Cultural Heritage Online
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